OPINION: Newsom didn't like the evidence

Dec. 7—California Gov. Gavin Newsom challenged Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to a public debate in August. Newsom and DeSantis are known to spar publicly. The former is a blue governor, with a blue legislature in a blue state. The latter is correspondingly red.

DeSantis accepted the debate challenge. Fox News agreed to televise the event last week and their long-time host Sean Hannity served as moderator. The event was billed "The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate."

Hannity presented to the viewing audience and the candidates statistical evidence comparing each state.

As political debates go, this one was not a debate at all. It was a word slugfest. Neither Newsom nor DeSantis took the high ground. Both spoke or shouted over their opponent. Neither performed their way into a higher public profile.

Substantively though, one thing became overwhelmingly obvious. Progressive policy infused into government is failing.

When confronted with California's tax rates, which are demonstrably higher than Florida's, Newsom claimed their tax rates are less regressive. They favor the poor and stick it to the rich.

But the evidence presented in the debate demonstrated clearly that pursuing Newsom's public policy path results in regressive outcomes.

California spends 33% more than Florida per student on education. Gas prices in California are 53% higher than Florida and more than double the national average. The homeless population is five times greater, violent crime rates are double and unemployment rates are nearly double.

One can safely deduce the burden of each of these failures falls more heavily on poorer residents than not. Rich folks have the resources to overcome these challenges. But where are the poor to go look for a job when there are not enough to go around? How much of their incomes must be used to buy gas, to pay for excessive school tax rates and afford a roof over their heads, all after buying groceries at an inflated rate?

It is no wonder, as Hannity demonstrated, that people are leaving in large numbers, fleeing blue California for red states.

Newsom, on question after question, realized he couldn't possibly defend his record. He came equipped with an arsenal of tired, overused, meaningless "blue" talking points. Rather than address the hard evidence presented in the 90-minute debate, he chose to duck and dodge like a schoolboy in a game of dodge ball.

Voters would be wise to watch this debate, not for the word slugfest, but to see why they need to vote to keep or convert their governing bodies red. Newsom certainly hopes they do not.

The News and Tribune Editorial Board voted to write opposing views on the debate. This view was written by Bobby Tingle.